The reactions from industry and Capitol Hill on the Section 301 tariffs were largely split along lines previously drawn over the Trump administration's general approach to tariffs. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said in a news release that while the changes from the initial list of products from China were "encouraging, " he is "alarmed that additional products are now placed on the list for possible future action." Brady called on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to "narrow these tariffs and implement an effective exclusion process that provides relief for American companies, unlike the problematic Commerce 232 exclusion process.”
China will implement retaliatory 25 percent tariffs on 545 tariff lines, largely agricultural and auto targets, but also "aquatic products," on July 6, it said in a statement. Like the U.S., it is saving an additional $16 billion in targets in reserve. For China, those will be chemicals, energy imports and medical equipment. For the U.S., semiconductors, plastics, railcars, tractors, cranes and new industrial machinery lines could be in the second phase. China's tariffs are in response to the Section 301 tariffs on imports into the U.S. set to begin July 6 (see 1806150003)
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for June 4-8 in case they were missed.
Despite the Trump administration's pause (see 1805200002) in adding Section 301 tariffs on goods from China, it's too early to end efforts toward product exemptions, Baker & McKenzie lawyer Ted Murphy said in a blog post. "While this is a positive development, it is also subject to change," he said. "As a result, for now, we are recommending that companies continue to pursue exclusions just in case."
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for April 16-20 in case they were missed.
Misclassification and valuation are among areas of enforcement focus for CBP's administration of the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum, CBP officials said during an April 10 interview. "Classification is a way to play with it, valuation as well, but these are things we will have to look at," said John Leonard, executive director of trade policy and programs at CBP. There are some different considerations involved for looking at possible transshipments because most antidumping or countervailing duty evasions involve countries around China, such as Malaysia or Thailand, but those countries are affected by the 232 tariffs too, he said. "It's hard to put it in that same context," he said.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for March 12-16 in case they were missed.
Despite the recent attention on Section 232 tariffs, some expect the effects of the Section 301 investigation started last year (see 1708210024) to eclipse the steel and aluminum import restrictions, panelists said at a Washington International Trade Association event March 13. Wendy Cutler, a former acting deputy U.S. trade representative, said once the White House announces what it's doing to respond to China's intellectual property transgressions, "we won't be talking about steel and aluminum."
The International Trade Commission has issued a general exclusion order and a cease and desist (CD) order in its section 337 patent-based investigation of certain inkjet ink supplies and components thereof (Inv. No. 337-TA-691). The ITC has also terminated the investigation.